ARMS Legend
Excellence Without Boundaries
TEAM
GRIT
GROWTH
March 21, 2016 5th Six Weeks, Week 4
BY MAY 2016, AT LEAST 80% OF ALL STAAR EXAMS TAKEN BY ARMS STUDENTS WILL MEET THE PHASE II PASSING STANDARD.
Improve Student Achievement
Improve the Quality of Instruction
Create a Positive and Supportive Campus Culutre
Principal Message
I hope that this Legend greets you rejuvenated and happy about the time spent traveling, relaxing, reconnecting with family and friends, catching up on projects, or reading that book that you never had time for. However you spent your time, my hope is it has filled you up and brings you back energized.
Ranger Pride!!
F. Taylor-Glenn
ARMS Sends Love and Strength to the Arnett Family
Family and friends honored the life of our own Ranger, Marlese "Buffy" Arnett at a candlelight vigil on Sunday, March 13th as well as wake and funeral services held this past Friday and Saturday. We are incredibly saddened by the loss of one of our ARMS family members.
The love and support that was shown and is continued to be shown for Ms. Marlese emphasizes her loving spirit and uplifting impact she had on so many people. Her children attend DISD schools (ARMS, Lang Middle School, Truett ES, and Dallas CAN) and truly appreciate the ARMS support. The ARMS PTA will continue to take donations in support of the family during this very difficult time, March 21-24th, in the main office.
Ms. Marlese's mother, was extremely grateful for the contribution made to the family last week.
More information will be shared for a memorial to be held at ARMS in honor of the life of Marlese Arnett.
In loving memory of Marlese "Buffy" Arnett
TG2 Spotlight
Spotlight on Ms. Joliffe and Ms. Goodwin (Teamwork)
Mr. Folkenroth writes:
My spotlight is for Ms. Goodwin and Ms. Jolliffe for showing the power of TEAM. They stepped up and covered my 7th and 8th period for me so I could go to the doctors office! I appreciate them so much - and thanks to the power of modern medicine I finally feel better right before spring break! They are the best!!
Thank you!
Ranger News
arms info
Inclement Weather Days - 3/25 Friday Campus Closed
Good afternoon Principals,
Just wanted to clarify that March 25th and April 11th are inclement weather days. Campuses are closed. Therefore, all campus personnel are off.
Central office personnel will be at work.
Please share this clarification with your staff.
Have a great Spring Break!
Thank you,
School Leadership
If you desire additional policy information:
This memo was shared in an earlier WAIP, click here to review.
ARMS REMINDERS
Mandatory STAAR Testing meeting on Tuesday 3/22 @ 4:30pm
STAAR Extended Day
ARMS students will have the opportunity to stay for two hours after school and transportation home is provided (for normal bus riders). Teachers are compensated for their time.
Content area, teacher have identify students that would benefit from the extended time in preparation for the STAAR - Reading & Math 8, Writing 7.
DISD Summer PD - ACTION REQUIRED
Student Perception Survey - April 11-15th
2016-17 Convocation
DISD Open Transfer Period
Marshall Memo
What is the Marshall Memo?
In the spirit of our second "G" GROWTH, every week I will share 1 or 2 of the article summaries with ARMS staff. In hopes of sparking interest, sharing another perspective, or strategies as we all collectively work to improve teaching and learning @ ARMS. Take what works for you, leave what doesn't.
Project-Based Learning 101
“When students engage in project-based learning over the course of their time in school,” says John Larmer (Buck Institute for Education) in this article in Educational Leadership, “there’s an accumulating effect. They feel empowered. They see that they can make a difference.” In addition, they’re more likely to acquire the skills, knowledge, and dispositions needed for college and career success. Here is how Larmer sees the key elements of project-based learning, carefully planned and skillfully managed by the teacher:
• A challenging problem or question – It should be novel, complex, and open-ended. Students assess what’s required and, with guidance from their teacher, find the resources they need to complete the task.
• Sustained inquiry – Students are challenged to work on the project over a period of days or weeks.
• Authenticity – As much as possible, projects expose students to the outside world in all its complexity. “They understand what it’s like to meet real deadlines, not the arbitrary ones typically set by teachers but the ones they had to meet because people were counting on them,” says Larmer. “They learn how to behave, make eye contact, and dress appropriately.”
• Student voice and choice – Students take responsibility for a series of tasks and make decisions on how to proceed. “They troubleshoot problems and often find themselves in situations that stretch them,” says Larmer, “such as when they interview an expert, use new tech tools, or propose solutions for a community problem to an audience of adults.”
• Reflection – Teams of students engage in projects that involve ongoing analysis on how they’re doing.
• Critique and revision – As students work, they fine-tune their process and product. “Sometimes their ideas fail, and they have to return to the drawing board,” says Larmer.
• Public product – The students conclude their project by demonstrating what they have learned to an adult audience.
Larmer gives three examples of successful projects conducted by students at different grade levels:
- Fifth graders researched brain cancer, conducted a fund-raiser, and contributed $1,300 to a children’s hospital.
- High-school economics students researched home ownership in their community and, working with a local bank, conducted a community education event to inform parents and local residents of the benefits of home ownership.
- Ninth-grade science students studied local water quality, produced a video, and wrote a class book based on their findings. They also contacted state officials and successfully proposed an adopt-a-shoreline program to improve a local lake.
Larmer closes with four ways that project-based learning can go off the rails and not fulfill its potential:
- Mistake #1: Using materials that aren’t truly project-based; beware of PBL-lite!
- Mistake #2: Providing inadequate training and support for teachers; one-shot workshops are not enough.
- Mistake #3: Over-using projects in the curriculum; basic skills can still be taught in a more conventional format.
- Mistake #4: Implementing project-based learning on an ad hoc basis; to get the long-term effect, students need to engage in high-quality projects on a regular basis through their school years.
“It’s a Project-Based World” by John Larmer in Educational Leadership, March 2016 (Vol.
73, #6, p. 66-70), available for purchase at http://bit.ly/1QZNyHB; Larmer can be reached at johnlarmer@bie.org; further resources are available at www.bie.org.
ARMS Athletic Events
Week of 3/21 - 3/31
ARMS Softball vs. Long @ ARMS
Wednesday & Thursday, March, 23/24
DISD Invitational Track Meet @ Loos 5:30 pm
Wednesday, March 23
ARMS Baseball vs. O.W. Holmes @ Holmes 6:00 p.m.
ARMS Events
Weekly Events March 21 - 25
Trailblazer, Meeting @ 4:30-5:45 - Conference Room 127
STAAR Extended tutoring 4:30-6:30
Tuesday, March 22
Testing Meeting @ 4:30 - Library
STAAR Extended tutoring 4:45-6:30
Wednesday, March 23
STAAR Extended tutoring 4:30-6:30
Thursday, March 24
STAAR Pep Rally (6th - 8th period- more info coming)
STAAR Extended tutoring 4:30-6:30
Friday, March 25
Inclement Weather Day- Campus Closed!!
On The Horizon........
Trailblazer Meeting @ 4:30-5:45- Conference room 127
STAAR Extended tutoring 4:30-6:30
Tuesday, March 29
STAAR Writing 7, Math 8, Algebra 1-Mock
Wednesday, March 30
STAAR Reading 8
Thursday, March 31
7th Math Pre-AP
STAAR Make Up
*TELPAS March 7 - April 6
Career Day Excitement!
Spring Break Fun
Mr. Adams
Ms. Barksdale
Hiking @ Cucumber Falls in Ohiopyle, PA (outside Pittsburgh)
Baby Gill
Fun @ the Zoo
Mrs. Taylor - Glenn
The Most Important Work of our Time! Always remember YOUR IMPACT!
Ann Richards Middle School
At Ann Richards MS, our vision is to be a flagship middle school at the hub of the community, nurturing diverse leaders, and empowering intelligent trailblazers.
Email: frataylor@dallasisd.org
Website: www.dallasisd.org/annrichards
Location: Ann Richards Middle School, North Prairie Creek Road, Dallas, TX, United States
Phone: 972 -892-5400